Computer monitors have become extremely common items in offices, workspaces, retail stores, automobile service facilities, airports, and anywhere a computer is used. The monitors generally sit on desks, tables, stands, counters and the like. But regardless of where such monitors are located, they have a very familiar shape and appearance, and are immediately recognized as a computer monitor, largely because of their shape or appearance. Although the computer industry has exploded with technology in the latter part of the twentieth century, the shape and appearance of computer monitors has changed little. Monitors have even grown, from the thirteen inch monitors so common in the 1980's, to the 17, 19 and 21 inch monitors presently.
Prior art monitors generally are rather heavy and have a large, bulky and familiar shape, with a generally rectangular appearance from the front, tapering in all directions toward the rear, and supported on a pedestal. The screen of course is located on the rectangular front, often includes knobs or controls for the monitor.
More recently, some attention has been directed at monitors to create a more aesthetic appearance with corresponding appeal. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 413,105 discloses a horizontal teardrop shape, with rounded corners and concealed front controls. This housing has been marketed in colors to again increase the aesthetic appeal.
Another approach has been taken in Design U.S. Pat. No. 390,218 wherein speakers are mounted in wings hingedly attached to the sides of the monitor and are pivotal to the front to conceal the monitor and speakers when closed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,766,422 and 4,735,467 discloses other ways to conceal the computer monitor by mounting it on a support which is retractable into the desk when not in use. This patent uses a flat screen display, much like the displays used in laptop computers, in order to facilitate the support and concealment of the display.
Most of the prior attempts to change the appearance of the monitor have still produced shapes which are largely dictated by the shape of the cathode ray tube which forms the bulk of the actual monitor. Although changes in such tubes have reduced the length of the tube, they still have the familiar elongated shape, which is not particularly aesthetic, and which is bulky and dominant on a desktop, and has little appeal apart from its function.
Accordingly the primary object of present invention is to provide a monitor housing which is capable of significant and distinctive aesthetic appeal.
Another object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which conceals the function of the monitor when not in use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which is convertible from an aesthetic object to a functional computer monitor.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a monitor housing which may be ornamented to simulate a variety of objects with different appeal.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which interacts with the computer power saving features so as to conceal the monitor when the computer is in a power saving mode.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which may be of different shapes to simulate different objects.